Tuesday, July 29, 2014

New African Jazz and Soul Inspired By A Journey To Lagos, Nigeria Album Features Guest Artists Common and Angelique Kidjo

Available August 5, 2014 on OKeh Records

"A potent brew from the first sip to the last drop."- NPR, All Things Considered

"All elegance and awe...utterly captivating!" - Billboard

“Superb!” – Vogue

Few contemporary albums bare as particular a narrative as The Lagos Music Salon. The new album by the superb chanteuse Somi, finds her breaking new ground with a hybrid style of music that organically integrates the essence of jazz and soul with the musical depth of her African heritage. “It’s the first time ever that I put all other pursuits on hold to focus solely on the creative process,” says Somi, who decided to move to Lagos, Nigeria from her New York home base without a game plan but with a passionate desire to find a new direction for her vision and voice.

The Lagos Music Salon (available August 5th) marks Somi’s major label debut for Sony’s OKeh Records and features a range of originals that are sublimely melodic, percussively textured. A socially informed and adventurous vocalist, Somi sings with a soulful beauty about her experiences in Lagos. While there, she kept a journal of her observations and collaborated with a community of musicians, writers and artists who helped her to envision what would become The Lagos Music Salon.

The album covers a broad swath of styles and features a number of carefully matched guest performances. These include a fast-paced groove with Afro-pop sensibilities on the Fela Kuti-inspired “Lady Revisited” with Angelique Kidjo, and a rap-inflected cinematic reflection on Africa’s pollution, “When Rivers Cry,” that features Common.

Also in the mix are field recording snippets, including an exchange at the Lagos airport with an immigration officer, heated rally cries from the Occupy Nigeria protests, and a parabolic story of an over-skilled monkey.

“I’m excited about this album,” Somi says. “I allowed myself to abandon the boundaries of my comfort zone, but that gave me the room to explore and play with new ideas and inspiration. Some people see me as an African artist and not jazz, while others see me as a jazz artist influenced by Africa. But I’m not focused on genre. My intent is to be honest with the songs and where they take me.”

Born in Illinois, the daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda, Somi’s dramatic Salon story started ironically and sadly on the release date of her 2009 album, If the Rains Come First, when her beloved father passed away.

“I had to weather the storm of his passing,” Somi says. “The loss was so sobering that I began to question my own life’s legacy and path. My dearest mentor Hugh Masekela knew about my personal loss and subsequent desire for change. He also knew that, more than ever, I wished I could move ‘home’ to Africa. Something about the idea seemed like it might be a way to get closer to my father’s spirit and my own heart. It was Uncle Hugh that reminded me that to be a musician is to be a global citizen and that I should always listen to my heart should it long to travel. ‘Stop thinking about it as a move,’ he said, ‘Think of it as an opportunity to spend time with another part of your global audience.’ That’s when I decided to make the bold choice of moving to Lagos. A true Africanist, I believe my father is proud of that choice.”

While she spent part of her youth in Africa with her parents, Somi hadn’t lived there since her first year out of college when she landed a medical anthropology research fellowship in Kenya and Tanzania. After frequent holiday visits and touring extensively on the continent (visiting over 12 countries with her band), Somi fell in love with Lagos, “where there’s a huge volume of cultural production, including literature, film and fashion – let alone music,” she says. “For an artist, it is a very exciting place. There’s an energy there that reminds me of New York. Twenty million people live there—it’s cosmopolitan, fast, hard and yet so inspiring.”

While Somi’s goal was to live in Lagos for 15 months she ended up being there for 18 months. She began her journey with an international teaching artist residency at a university in Ilorin, Nigeria while also doing occasional European shows to keep her career visible. After six months, Somi began to realize the impact of her choice to be in Lagos. “Initially I was a little panicked,” she says. “Was I going to disappear? Would people forget about me? But after months of writing in my journal, I discovered a body of work was emerging.”

Somi set out to work on her new material, but Lagos doesn’t have the cultural infrastructure of small clubs like New York. “I needed to develop my work and test it on Nigerian audiences,” says Somi. “So I started producing intimate salons at art galleries and other nontraditional venues in Lagos where I would perform my new music. It grew into a series where I’d invite local artists to perform as well. That work greatly enriched my experience, challenged me to think more about African notions of cultural intimacy, and gave birth to The Lagos Music Salon concept.”

Somi accumulated a collection of music steeped in the culture of Lagosand collaborated with two colleagues who share co-producer credit with her on The Lagos Music Salon: Lagos musician Cobhams Asuquo (who happens to be blind and is impressively self-taught) and New York’s Keith Witty. “Cobhams has a deep understanding of traditional African music as well as strong pop sensibilities,” Somi says. “And Keith, the modern jazz head on the project, made sure the artful sense of the music was always privileged amidst the African pop influences.”

Somi weaves through the collection of captivating songs with a socio/cultural poignancy. The R&B-vibed “Two Dollar Day” tells the story of a domestic worker, who earns two dollars a day and couldn’t afford to go home because of the oil-rich Nigerian government’s decision to hike fuel prices 200 percent. While the provocative “Four. One. Nine.” takes its name from the police criminal code for the Nigerian email swindles, Somi likens the scam to fraudulent love affairs, while a friend offers her a tongue-in-cheek reprimand about unsavory men. The most dynamic piece is the bass line-driven “Four African Women,” inspired by a Nina Simone original. It’s a sketch of four African women who each experienced a different hardship—genocide, skin bleaching, circumcision, prostitution.

Other highlights include the percussive, string quartet-colored tune “Ankara Sundays,” the sobering “Last Song” and the gently swinging love song “Ginger Me Slowly” about playfully telling forthright men how to romantically treat their woman. There are also two versions of the upbeat original “Love Juju.”

“Juju is African magic,” Somi explains. “Throughout the album, I’m singing about the magic of Lagos and the spell it cast on my heart.”

A TED Global Fellow and also founder of the New Africa Live nonprofit that champions African artists, Somi has for the last decade carved out a career of singing and being an activist. On The Lagos Music Salon, the best album of her young career, she magically combines the two facets of her life. As for her adopted city, she says, “It was a euphoric new place for me, an important journey. I wanted to tell honest stories in the spirit of gratitude.”

More than just a guitar amp, the Acoustic A20 is a complete performance solution for today's versatile acoustic-electric musician. Its full-range 8-inch studio-quality coaxial speaker, ported cabinet design, and 20 Watts of clean, pristine power effortlessly fill the room with rich, crystalline sound. Plug in a microphone and any acoustic instrument with a pickup and you're ready to go.

Expressly designed to bring out the nuance and natural detail of acoustic instruments and vocals, the A20 delivers the advanced tone shaping control that has made Acoustic Amps "The Pro's Tone" for almost half a century. Lightweight and portable, the A20 is packed with features, including two combo XLR-1/4" inputs with independent level controls, 3-band EQ, digital reverb and chorus, effects loop, and Acoustic's acclaimed Vari-Control feedback eliminator.

With its unique wedge-shaped design, the A20 makes a great, full-featured stage amp. With the power and performance of a small PA system, it's the ideal rig for coffee houses and other acoustic performances, solo keyboard gigs, home recording, and small to mid-sized karaoke shows. The Acoustic A20's 1/8-inch Aux input and headphone output also make it a great fit for players looking for a small, portable practice amp. A full-featured direct output with pre-post EQ switch and level control connects the A20 to any PA system for larger venues.

"Today's musicians are more mobile, and more versatile than ever before," remarked Rick Gagliano, Acoustic Product Manager. "The A20 addresses those needs, with a lightweight but powerful design that can easily adapt to a wide range of performance conditions. Whether it's a PA for a mid-sized coffee house gig or a stage setup for a club gig, the A20 has the sound and the features today's musicians are asking for."

The A20 Acoustic Instrument Amp will be available in mid-September with a street price of $129.99.

About Acoustic

The Acoustic® Amplification company was established in 1967 and has been producing renowned amps sought after for their enormous tone and power. For almost 50 years, many players have trusted "The Pro's Tone" for their signature sound, both on stage and in the studio. Acoustic offers an ever-expanding line of stringed-instrument amplifiers, including their Lead Series electric guitar amplification and AG series of acoustic instrument amplifiers.

You can learn more about the complete lineup of Acousticproducts at www.acousticamplification.com or write to them at Acoustic Amplification, P.O. Box 5111, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359.

WVOX Metal Mayhem host Matthew O'Shaughnessy welcomes legendary Cinderella axeman Jeff Labar to his New York area radio show this Friday at 8:10pm EST worldwide on WWW.WVOX.COM and locally at 1460 AM.

Jeff will talk with Metal Mayhem about his new 'One For The Road' solo album and much more. Metal Mayhem comes at you every Tuesday from 9-11pm and Friday from 6-10pm EST and can be viewed on live webcam from anywhere in the world at WVOX.com.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The Mike Leslie Band from Detroit, MI will be making their West Coast debut at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood, Calif. on Tuesday, July 29th, opening for Fuel and Royal Bliss. Event information and purchase Whiskey tickets here: http://www.whiskyagogo.com/site/event/fuel/

Leslie has toured most of the U.S but this will be his first time on the West Coast. Armed with the raw sound of fellow Detroiters such as Jack White and The Stooges, and the masterful guitar chops of Jimi Hendrix and Joe Bonamassa, the Mike Leslie Band brings high-energy and an unforgettable experience to each performance. Their soon-to-be-released single “Badasses” is already making waves in the Midwest. The group has released two independent albums on ITunes and is currently in the studio working on their next release. The new release will harness the raw-primal energy of legends like Hendrix and Nirvana. Keep on the lookout for the next Jack White and Jimi Hendrix, but the first Mike Leslie.

"Mike Leslie Band has created an effortlessly cool sound which harkens back to when songwriters were blunt and emotions were raw. Think Elliott Smith with B.B. King on guitars". Gary Bartle (Real Detroit)

The hot Summer of 2012 saw the renaissance of downtown Detroit and the formation of the Mike Leslie Band out of the big bang of old structure, new generation and classic Motor City-born musical styles. MLB offer their eclectic blues-jam twist on pop progressions over rock structure; Leslie has strong blues and classic-rock guitar chops, yet writes around hooks and lyrics to produce urban sonic jewels. Influences span musical and literary generations, yet are honest and familiar, like your favorite pair of jeans and work boots. Imagine a block party jam session with Johnny Cash, Alabama Shakes, early and late career John Lennon, Sam Cooke, Duane Allman, Kurt Cobain, Gary Clark Jr., Hendrix, and Reignwolf. Nietzsche, Blake, Capote, and Dr. Hunter S. Thompson offer prose inspiration to Mike's songwriting. MLB’s live show is a three-ring circus of primal energy, Motown soul and spur of the moment surprises that translate this fine young Midwestern band from “great album” into “hell of a party”.

Album Review and Commentary Interview with KIX Guitarist Brian ForsytheKIX:

Review and Interview : Joseph Timmons – Xombiewoof Magazine

In December 1977 a group that would be in the eyes and ears of hard rock fans worldwide appeared on the stages of Hagerstown, Maryland and then everywhere possible. Hitting the club circuit six nights a week for three straight years resulted in the band cultivating a huge local fan base and led to their first record contract. Releasing their self-titled debut in 1981 titled “KIX” this band would become in a whirlwind favorite filling every club and stadium without hesitation.

Many years and albums later, like all the bands of their day, they continued to build and grow, change and evolve, members leaving and returning, taking breaks and reuniting, but I am glad to say, the boys are back in town and they’ve come to, as they say Rock Your Face Off!

Platinum-selling Maryland hard rock icons KIX heed the audience's call on their long-awaited seventh full-length album and first for Loud & Proud Records. It has been almost 20 years since their last studio effort, 1995's Show Business, and the boys—Steve Whiteman [vocals], Brian "Damage" Forsythe [guitar], Ronnie "10/10" Younkins [guitar], Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant [drums] and Mark Schenker [bass]—return with a raucous, roaring and real display of rock 'n' roll.

KIX is Jimmy Chalfant, Ronnie Younkins, Brian Forsythe, Mark Schenker and Steve Whiteman; together this Hard Rockin’ Metal powerhouse has come up with what is anticipated as the largest release of the year, at present, KIX is touring the globe to support the album’s release this August 5th, 2014 to a fan base that has never forgotten the band that spoke to their generation, and now to the next generation, and generations to come. With the support of Loud & Proud Records, KIX has gone into the studio and come out with blaring speed and driving power.

"In many ways, this is for the KIX diehards as much as it is for us," Brian explains. "When we started doing this again, tons of fans came out of the woodwork. They'd show up with their kids, and it was just incredible to see. We had to deliver for them."

Rock Your Face Off is an audio thrill ride, and from the album’s title track “Rock Your Face Off” to “Can’t Stop the Show”, “Rollin’ in Honey”,” All the Right Things”,” Inside Outside Inn”,” Rock & Roll Showdown” and the song that has become an internet and radio wide sensation “Love Me With Your Top Down”, KIX has come back to the global stage hard, fast and stronger than ever, it’s been 20 years since their last album and they have made up for lost time with a passion and a vengeance, time has had no effect on them, none what so ever!

As a drummer, any artist or group I listen to has to have a good backbeat; it makes all the difference between a good album and a great album. With Rock Your Face Off, the first thing I noticed is the timing is impeccable, the beat master Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant is unstoppable, his measure is matched equally by Mark Schenker on Bass, and it is with this steady and unwavering rhythm foundation that Ronnie "10/10" Younkins and Brian "Damage" Forsythe work their Guitar Voodoo, power chords blazing with leads and solos that excite the senses. Last but definitely not least it is the spine tingling vocals of Steve Whiteman that steals the show and hearts of the ladies, his talent is only matched by his wit and sense of humor, a trickster by trade. This album is not a return to the 80’s schmaltz or a comeback revival, theirs is an evolution, the next step in musical mastery and is one for the books, a band that beat all the odds then, and exceeds all expectations today.

In order to deliver, the band enlisted the talents of producer Taylor Rhodes [Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne] with whom they had last collaborated on 1991's Hot Wire. Also, for the first time in the group's history, each member contributed to the writing process, fostering an extremely creative and free environment in the studio. A new dawn commenced as they simultaneously harnessed their classic spirit. Meanwhile, Taylor helped preserve the band’s vision. Brian adds, "He knew the feel of the band and kept us on the path towards that direction. He understood our energy and what the listeners would expect. We also took everything to the next level together."

In addition to having the pleasure of listening to this album before the public is that I am going to interview one of the founding members of KIX, Brian Forsythe to get some inside information and the background on this masterpiece of metal.

Joe: Brian, It’s been a while since the last KIX album Show Business, not including the Live in Baltimore released in 2012. The songwriting on Rock Your Face Off is amazing, as a long time KIX fan, I know I was blown away when I heard you were going into the studio, and even more impressed now, after hearing Rock Your Face Off, I want to ask when did you as a group realize you had the right material for this album? Also, what was the writing chemistry, who did what and how did the team work the creative process?

Brian: “We had not planned to do an album until we released our live performance DVD, once we did that, we realized, WOW, we need to come up with a record. We threw all our ideas into one big pile and went from there, the material was all over the place, and was a long process to sort through and find the right material. This album was over a year in the making.”

Joe: KIX has the rep for being a hard working band, mastering all the elements of a song, their stage presence and creating an element of excitement in every crowd that sees a show, how has the fans response been when you performed the new material?

Brian: “Playing live has been an adventure, we play about one to two shows a week, we are all still in pretty good shape but we are definitely more devoted to the performance and brining quality to the stage. We play gigs with the feeling and energy our fans expects, and we look to making new fans just as devoted.”

Joe: I know you have been playing and touring for a while, but playing live and working the studio are two different worlds. How was it being back in the studio, was it a natural feeling, or did it take some time to get the magic flowing?

Brian: “Well, a lot has changed in the industry and with us as a group, I have been recording with Rhino Bucket and other bands, and we are familiar with the new technology. In the old days, we would go to a studio and then be in lock down until we were done, but now we did parts in our own studio prior the master mix. Once we went into the real studio it was easier, the chemistry was an interesting aspect, we all had a chance to contribute to the songwriting, and it was truly a group effort, making it a new experience for all of us.”

Joe: Well Brian, enough about the technical aspects of Rock Your Face Off, I am sure the readers want to know the behind the scene stuff, what’s some of the “Wild and Crazy” stories you can tell, at least one that’s legal in all 50 states? Feel free to change the names to protect the innocent...

Brian: “Wow, we’ve had some pretty crazy experiences on the Monsters of Rock Cruises, you have to remember, and it is like a giant floating hotel. You walk out into the area where the people are getting to the stage and there is no escape once the realized who you are, you can stop to say ”Hi” to one person because if you do, one moment everything is cool, the next moment; you swamped and can’t make it to the stage. Another time, we were at a concert for another band, were in the audience, and we just went to see a show and someone noticed us, within moments we were getting way too much attention; it got so bad security got involved”.

Joe: Brian, I want to thank you for the interview, what’s next for KIX, when can we expect to see some videos, any Television engagements, where can we see KIX Play?

Brian: “We will be making several show stops to promote the album, you can get all that information from our website http://www.kixband.com , as far as future plans, we are looking to do a major tour, still up in anything, …… within reason”.

Joe: Brian, do you have any Last Words for our readers?

Brian: “We appreciate all of our fans, they are super loyal and supportive, East Coast to West Coast, we had no idea that there would be so many people that still remembered us and would want to see us so badly, it is an inspiration and we love you. To our new fans, check out our web site http://www.kixband.com and get Rock Your Face Off, you will be just excited to hear it as we were to make it”.

I really enjoyed our brief, but exciting interview with Brian “Damage” Forsythe, Rock Your Face Off is truly a great album, if you have yet to hear “Love Me with Your Top Do”, here’s your chance to let KIXRock Your Face Off!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Additional Gauge Offerings and a Complete Line of Single Strings Give Guitarists Options to Play Fearlessly

D’Addario is thrilled to announce extensions to its revolutionary line of guitar strings, NYXL. NYXL electric guitar strings deliver a whole new level of freedom, confidence, and power to players, allowing them to play fearlessly.

“D’Addario is once again answering the call of musicians worldwide,” says Brian Vance, Director of Product Management at D’Addario. “Due to overwhelming requests and demand, we are already expanding the NYXL line with the introduction of new gauges and a complete singles line of NYXL plain steel and wound strings.”

In addition to D’Addario’s previously released gauges, 09-42 and 10-46, the company is now offering 08-38, 09-46, 11-49 and 10-52 options. NYXL0838, NYXL0946 and NYXL1149 will retail for $19.95 and NYXL1052 for $20.95.

A full line of singles has also been added to the NYXL line so musicians have the ability to create sets to their own specifications. Available are 50 NYXL wound strings in gauges ranging from .017 to .080 and 22 NYXL high-carbon plain steel strings in gauges ranging from. 007 to .026.

D’Addario NYXL electric guitar strings have been re-engineered from the ball end up, and no string has ever offered this level of stability. Stronger than any of its predecessors, torture tests prove that NYXL strings stay in tune up to 131% better so guitarists don’t waste time tuning and can start playing sooner. Starting with the selection of new high-carbon steel alloys, D’Addario engineers have completely re-imagined the wire drawing process and revolutionized the corrosion-resistant tin coating application. The result is something guitarists have never experienced before: unprecedented strength and pitch stability.

Still, making the world’s strongest string wasn’t enough for D’Addario. These strings have also been designed to bend farther and sing louder, and the reformulated nickel-plated steel alloy boosts amplitude in the 1 kHz to 3.5 kHz range, modernizing overall tone without ever losing that incredible nickel-plated steel feel that guitarists love. With 6% more magnetic permeability for higher output, NXYL electric guitar strings offer more punch, crunch, and bite.

These new sets and singles will be available July 1st, 2014.

Uncover the full NYXL story at www.nyxlstory.com.D’Addario & Company is dedicated to inspiring higher levels of creativity and performance for musicians worldwide.

D’Addario & Company, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories marketed under several product divisions: D'Addario Fretted and Orchestral Strings, Evans Drumheads, Promark Drumsticks, Puresound, D'Addario Woodwinds, and D'Addario/Planet Waves Accessories. A family-owned and operated business with more than 1,100 employees worldwide, the company manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. employing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario has a distribution network in 120 countries and serves more than 3,000 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and more than 3,000 endorsing artists.

D’Addario is thrilled to announce the extension of two new string lines including the FlexSteels Bass String line and the NYXL Electric Guitar String Line. In addition, always looking for ways to improve the performance of their packaging, D’Addario single guitar strings will be now packaged in sealed Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) bags.

“Premature corrosion can destroy a string’s tonal characteristics,” says Brian Johnson, Product Specialst at D’Addario. “It is our goal to provide guitarists with packaging that offers superior shelf life, ensuring each D’Addario string is as fresh as the day it was made.”

D’Addario guitar singles will now be packaged into sealed bags, with VCI formulated into the recyclable plastic. This packaging is designed to emit rust-inhibiting vapor molecules which protect the strings from oxidation while enclosed in the package.

Due to popular demand, the singles from D’Addario’s FlexSteels bass sets will now be available. Sizes for bass range from .032 - .135, and tapered strings will be available on July 1, 2014 in gauges .085, .095, .100, .105, .125, .130, .135. FlexSteels deliver the unique combination of flexible feel, optimized for slap and fingerstyle playing, coupled with a coveted deep and round tone with just the right amount of punch and bite. A harmonic-rich steel alloy with precisely-formulated core-to-wrap diameters wound to the most precise specifications delivers this singular tone and feel with unsurpassed consistency and extra-long string life. Singles will retail between $7.90 - $17.70.

Already in demand after the April launch of the strongest guitar string on the market, a full line of singles has also been added to the NYXL line, so guitarists have the ability to create sets to their own specifications. Available are 37 NYXL wound strings in gauges ranging from .017 to .080 and 22 NYXL high-carbon plain steel strings in gauges ranging from. 007 to .026.

D’Addario NYXL electric guitar strings have been re-engineered from the ball end up, and no string has ever offered this level of stability. Stronger than any of its predecessors, torture tests prove that NYXL strings stay in tune up to 131% better so guitarists don’t waste time tuning. Starting with the selection of new high-carbon steel alloys, D’Addario engineers completely re-imagined the wire drawing process and revolutionized the corrosion-resistant tin coating application. The result is unprecedented strength and pitch stability. In addition, these strings have been designed to bend farther and sing louder, and the reformulated nickel-plated steel alloy boosts amplitude in the 1 kHz to 3.5 kHz range, modernizing overall tone without ever losing that incredible nickel-plated steel feel that guitarists love. With 6% more magnetic permeability for higher output, NXYL electric guitar strings offer more punch, crunch, and bite.

These new NYXL sets and singles will be available July 1st, 2014.

Learn more about D’Addario FlexSteels at www.daddario.com/flexsteels, and uncover the full NYXL story at www.nyxlstory.com.D’Addario & Company is dedicated to inspiring higher levels of creativity and performance for musicians worldwide.

D’Addario & Company, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories marketed under several product divisions: D'Addario Fretted and Orchestral Strings, Evans Drumheads, Promark Drumsticks, Puresound, D'Addario Woodwinds, and D'Addario/Planet Waves Accessories. A family-owned and operated business with more than 1,100 employees worldwide, the company manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. employing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario has a distribution network in 120 countries and serves more than 3,000 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and more than 3,000 endorsing artists.

Releasing a Solo Album in June 2014, Robinson Performs with D’Addario Strings and Planet Waves Cables

D’Addario is proud to welcome Rich Robinson to its esteemed artist roster. Known for his work with The Black Crowes as well as a successful solo career, Robinson prefers D’Addario strings and accessories.

“We’re thrilled to bring Rich on as an endorsee,” says Hugh Gilmartin, D’Addario Artist Relations. “From his songwriting, to performing, to guitar playing, we’re always impressed. We’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the both of us.”

Robinson formed the The Black Crowes with his older brother Chris in the 1980’s, and the band’s 1990 debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, sold 7 million copies. Over the next 10 years, Robinson’s songwriting evolved into the musical engine that powered the band to sales of more than 25 million albums. Crowes’ catalog included classics like The Southern HarmonyandMusical Companion, Amorica, By Your Side, and Live at the Greek: Excess All Areas, a double album that captured the teaming of Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes for performances of Led Zeppelin, Crowes and blues and rock standards.

After a hiatus for The Black CrowesRobinson began his solo career in 2004 with the release of his first album, Paper. It would be seven years before his second solo album, Through A Crooked Sun, and an accompanying EP, Llama Blues, were released, as the Crowes began actively recording and touring until their second hiatus in 2010. Crooked Sun was a collection of 12 songs recorded in Woodstock in 2011. The album featured Joe Magistro, Steve Molitz and guest performances by Warren Haynes, Larry Campbell, Karl Berger, John Lindberg, and John Medeski.

A worldwide Black Crowes tour kept Robinson busy in 2013, but he found the time to return to Woodstock to record The Ceaseless Sight. The Ceaseless Sight will be released on June 3rd, 2014 and the Rich Robinson Band will tour through the year in support of its release.

Robinson’s dedication to his craft mirrors that of D’Addario as he continues to inspire performance worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.daddario.com.

D’Addario & Company, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories marketed under seven product divisions: D'Addario Fretted, D'Addario Orchestral, Evans Drumheads, ProMark Drumsticks, Puresound, D'Addario Woodwinds, and D'Addario Planet Waves Accessories. A family-owned and operated business with more than 1,100 employees worldwide, the company manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. employing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario has a distribution network in 120 countries and serves more than 3,000 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and more than 3,000 endorsing artists.

DRIVE THE BUS WITH A LEAD FOOT ON EVANS’ NEW, SUPER-DURABLE DRUMHEAD OFFERINGSThe Most Durable Evans Drumheads yet, EMAD Heavyweight Bass Drum Head and the Heavyweight Snare Batter Provide Durability without Sacrificing Tone

Evans is proud to launch its most durable film-based drumheads yet, the EMAD Heavyweight bass drum head and the Heavyweight snare batter head. With EMAD Heavyweight’s two plies of 10mil film, a total thickness of 20 mils, drummers don’t have to worry about putting the kick through the head.

The new Heavyweight Snare batter employs two plies of 10mil film plus a 3mil reverse dot, for a total thickness of 23 mils in the playing area. Drummers can perform with as much force as needed without concern.

Both the EMAD Heavyweight bass drum head and Heavyweight snare batter feature the new Level 360 Technology™ which ensures better fit, easier tuning, and a wider tonal range. For the EMAD Heavyweight, Level 360 provides a startling punch of low frequencies. Along with excellent dynamic response and a wide tonal range, these new heads are perfect for the heavy hitter with finesse, providing maximum durability without feeling unplayable.

“Just when you thought you couldn’t get more ‘boom’ from your bass drum, the EMAD Heavyweight delivers,” comments Ben O’Brien Smith, Evans Product Specialist. “At the same time, the Heavyweight snare batter head is durable, focused, and dynamic. Heavyweight durability doesn’t have to mean a heavily weighted feel.”Available now, EMAD Heavyweight comes in sizes 18-26” and retails between $83.50-$105.25. Offered in sizes 12”, 13”, and 14” the Heavyweight snare batter also retails for $34.25-38.50.

D’Addario is committed to inspiring high levels of creativity for drummers by providing new products like the EMAD Heavyweight and the Heavyweight Snare Batter.

For more information, please visit www.evansdrumheads.com.

D’Addario & Company, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument accessories marketed under several product divisions: D'Addario Fretted and Orchestral Strings, Evans Drumheads, ProMark Drumsticks, Puresound, D'Addario Woodwinds, and D'Addario/Planet Waves Accessories. A family-owned and operated business with more than 1,100 employees worldwide, the company manufactures 95% of its products in the U.S. employing Toyota’s Lean manufacturing principles. D’Addario has a distribution network in 120 countries and serves more than 3,000 U.S. retailers, all major e-commerce sites, and more than 3,000 endorsing artists.